Apparatus for controlling ballooning of yarn



Oct. 11, 1960 E. w. STARNES 2,955,430

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING BALLOONING OF YARN Filed Nov. s. 1958 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INV ENT OR. Earl W Sfames fil'fornejs Oct. 11, 1960 w, STARNES 2,955,410

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING BALLOONING OF YARN Filed Nov. 3, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. [ar/ 14/ Sfarnes Oct. 11, 1960 E. w. STARNES AFJFARATUS FOR CONTROLLING BALLOONING 0F YARN Filed Nov. 5. 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I II'II llf. r

. INVENTOR. Earl W Sfarnes United State PM 9 APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING BALLOONING F YARN Earl W. Statues, Russell Manufacturing Company,

Alexander City, Ala. A

' Filed Nov. a, 1958, Ser. 1%.77138 2 Claims. (CI. 57-36 paratus utilizing the so-oalled two for one twisting principle isdisclosed in which ballooning fiber generates a figure of revolution completely enclosing the attenuating apparatus thereby allowing an unusually compact unit. The ring and traveler which were common in attenuating apparatus heretofore, are completely eliminated by my apparatus shown in application Serial No. 623,440. Further, the entire apparatus in my above prior application is so constructed that the fiber attenuating and twisting apparatus is located whereby during the first one-half of the twist applied 1 to the yarn, from the attenuating rollsto the twisting mechanism.

The apparatus in my prior application hasbeen found to work satisfactorily and effectively under high speeds and the only limitation on the speed has been the amount 2,955,410 Patented Oct. 11, 1960 Thus, I have found it desirable to have a hood within the ballooning figure of revolution and extending upwardly above the attenuating apparatus to prevent the inwardly extending nodes of the ballooning yarn from becoming entangled in the attenuating apparatus. The modified form of my invention comprises a hood secured to and extending about the attenuating apparatus while extending downwardly about the upper end of the supply 'can in which the supply packages are positioned. The modified form of my invention is preferably used without the hood in the preferred embodiment of my invention. Apparatus embodying features of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application in which:

Fig. ,1 is an elevational view of the preferred form of my invention showing means for supporting the balloon of the fiber strand in section;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the preferred form 'of' my invention, partly broken away, along line IIII of Fig. '1;

f Fig. 3 is across sectional view taken along the line IIIIII of Fig. 1; and,

lFig. 4 is an elevational view of the modified form of I my invention and showing means to support the inwardly the yarn passes directly of centrifugal force and air drag that the ballooning yarn ,utilizing'high speed twisting in the manufacture of yarn,

particularly in the finer sizes of yarn. Such apparatus comprises means for supporting the balloon of the yarn and thereby restraining the ballooning tendency thereof. Thus, theyarn-is relieved of a considerable portion of the stress and strain created by the centrifugual force and air drag in the high speed twisting operation.

It is an object of the present invention to provide means for supporting the ballooni-ng yarn in fiber twisting apparatus inwhich the yarn generates a ballooning figure of revolution enclosing the entire twisting apparatus.

The preferred embodiment 'of my invention comprises a hood secured to a disc on 'which a fiyer or traveller is positioned for the'twisting apparatus. The hood rotates with the disc and extends upwardly therefrom around the twisting apparatus. A central opening is provided at the top of the hood so that the yarn can extend therethrough to the package building apparatus. The outwardly ballooning yarn or fiber strand from the flyer rests slidably against the inner surface of the hood and is restrained thereby against further outward movement. Thus, an unusually high twisting speed may be obtained without breaking even the finer sizes of yarn.

As is well known in the art, ballooning yarn under certain conditions of tensioning forms a figure of revolution having its outer surface in the shape of a sinuous curve with inner and outer nodes. I have found that ballooning yarn undera lower tensioning than ordinarily used in the preferred form of the invention forms such a figure of revolution which sometimes results in the entanglement of the inwardly extending nodes with the attenuating apparatus as well as the breaking of the yarn.

extending nodes of the ballooning yarn.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of my invention, I show in Fig. 1 the preferred embodirnentsof my invention having a support frame indicated generally by the numeral 10 with an electric motor L1 mounted thereon. A pulley 12 on the electric motor '11 has a belt 13 extending thereover to pulley 14 secured to a vertically disposed shaft 16 which is mounted in suitable bearings 17 on the support frame 10. An axially extending passage 18 (see Figs. 2 and 3 also is formed in shaft 16 to receive the fiber strand as will be explained later.

An outer tubular column 19 receives the shaft 16 and bearings 21 support shaft 16 in outer column 19 so that shaft 16 can rotate relative to the outer column 19. A can, indicated generally by the numeral 22, is secured to the outer column 19 and holds a plurality of supply packages 23of a fiber'strand S which is adapted for being drawn and twisted into yarn. The yarn maybe formed from 'a single supply package 23 or if desired, a plurality of fiber strands S may be used to form the yarn.

A flyer disc 24 is mounted on the shaft 16 and has a passage 26 communicating with the passage 18 in shaft 16 for receiving the fiber strand S therethrough. A tensioning device 27 is mounted on the periphery of disc 24 by screws 28 secured to a cut-out portion 29 of the disc 24. The'tensioning device 27 is preferably in-the form of a piece of wire or the like having eyes therethrough for receiving the screws 28 and the fiber strand S is wrapped therearoundto obtain the'proper tensioning.

i A support disc 31 is-mounted on the top of the column 19. Mounted on the support disc 31 is a drawing or attenuating unit indicated generally by the numeral 32 and comprising a plurality of pairs of drawing rolls 33 between which the strand S passes. Drawing rolls 33 are driven by gear 34 secured to the shaft 16 through suitable means, not shown in the drawings.

A magnet 36 is mounted on the support 10 by rods 35 and holds the can 22 and column 19 along with the attenuating apparatus 32, against rotation with the shaft 16 as the flyer disc 24 is prefer-ably formed of a plastic material and therefore, it is not attracted magnetically. Thus, it is evident that shaft 16 and flyer 24 secured thereto rotate freely relative to tubular column 19 and attenuating apparatus 32.

A package building apparatus 37 is arranged above the attenuating apparatus 32 and on the same side of flyer 24 as the attenuating apparatus. The drive for the packtaken generally I age building apparatus 37 is indicated diagrammatically as being from a pulley 38 driven by the motor 11, and a belt 39 extending to a pulley 41 secured to shaft 42. Shaft 42 has a gear 43 ohm end thereof for driving the package building apparatus through gears 44 and 46. The yarn package 47 is mounted on shaft 48 which is mounted in slots 49 on arms 50 so that package 47 may be moved vertically as the yarn builds up. Shaft 52 rotates in contact with the periphery of the yarn package 47 and thus the package increases in diameter as the 'yarn is wound thereon.

A guide 53 receives the fiber strand S from the flyer 24. To hold the fiber strand S against twisting and rotation, a roller 54 is mounted between parallel arms 56 of a bracket 57. The shaft 42 runs in contact with the roller 54 and extends through the arms 56. Thus, the yarn is held against rotation between roller 54 and the shaft 42. For further details of the attenuating, twisting, and package building apparatus, reference may be had to my previously mentioned prior Patent No. 2,867,967.

It is understood that fiber strand S passing from the flyer 24 to the package building apparatus 37 balloons due to the centrifugal force generated by the rotating flyer disc 24. The figure of revolution generated by the ballooning yarn therefore completely encloses the attenuating apparatus 32 and the can 22 holding the supply packages 23. The flyer disc 24 is adapted for rotation at an unusually high rpm. For instance, a flyer disc 12 inches in diameter has been operated at a rate of 4,000 r.p.m. with satisfactory results. Such speeds generate a relatively high centrifugal force in the balloon of the yarn, and in the spinning of very fine size yarn, breakage of the yarn due to this centrifugal force sometimes results.

To support the balloon of the fiber strand or yarn S and to relieve the ballooning yarn of the breaking effect of centrifugal force and air drag, a hood 58 is secured to the periphery of the flyer disc 24 by suitable brackets 59 through screws 61. The hood 58 is substantially cylindrical at its base and has a conical section on its upper end with a central aperture 62 extending therethrough so that the fiber strand S may pass through hood 58 to the package building apparatus 37. The opening .62 is smooth so that the fiber strandS will pass freely therethrough. Hood 58 may be formed of a plastic material although other materials may be used.

In operation, upon rotation of the flyer 24 at high speeds, the fiber strand S between the tensioning device -27 and the guide 53 contacts at least a portion of the inner surface of'hood 58 and is supported thereby. Thus, a major part of the stress and strain on the balloon .of the strand S from the centrifugalforce and air drag is taken by the hood 58 and very fine size yarn can 'be twisted in the present apparatus with the flyer disc 24 rotating at high speeds.

In the modified form of my invention shown in Fig. 4, the attenuating apparatus and twisting apparatus is identical to that in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and like numerals appear in Fig. 4 therefor. The modified form of my invention is adapted for use with ballooning yarn under a lower tensioning than the tensioning ordinarily obtained in the preferred embodiment of the invention. As mentioned above, inwardly extending nodes are commonly formed in the ballooning figure of revolution under such lower tensioning and a hood is provided to keep the ballooning figurefromb'coming entangled with the attenuating apparatus 32. A support disc 31a mounted on the top of column 39 extends outwardly beyond the can 22 and has an opening th'e'rethroughfor the strand S. A second disc 61 is mounted on the upper end of the attenuating apparatus 32 and has suitable openings therethrough to receive the strand S. Disc 61 extends outwardly beyond can 22 the same extent as disc 31a. A hollow, substantially cylindrical hood or shield 62 extends around the attenuating apparatus 32 and the can 22. Brackets 63 secure shield 62 to discs 31a and 61 by suitable securing means 64. Thus, the inwardly extending nodes of the strand S, as shown in Fig. 4, contact the shield 62 and are thereby prevented from contacting the attenuating apparatus 32 and are restrained against inward movement and tensioning resulting therefrom.

While I have shown my invention in more than one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing'from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In apparatus for attenuating and twisting a fiber strand, an untwisted strand supply package, attenuating apparatus to which the strand is delivered from the supply package, a flyer rotating in a circular path relative to the attenuating apparatus and positioned to receive the strand from the attenuating apparatus and form a ballooning figure of revolution about the supply package and the attenuating apparatus, and means extending about the attenuating apparatus and within the ballooning figure of revolution against which any inwardly extending nodes of the ballooning yarn may contact thereby preventing entanglement of said ballooning yarn.

2. In apparatus as defined in claim 1 and further characterized in that said'means comprises a hood supported on and secured to the attenuating apparatus.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,329,449 Bauer Sept. 14, 1943 2,499,342 Dufond Feb. 28, 1950 2,572,135 Gonsalves Oct. 23, 1951 2,660,856 Kingsbury Dec. 1, 1953 2,689,449 Clarkson Sept. 21, 1954 2,796,726 Klein June 25, 1957 2,867,967 Starnes Jan. 13, 1959 

